Barbara Ker Wilson’s lively rendition of this Papua New Guinea creation myth tells how the great mother sea turtle, needing a place to rest, made herself a sandy island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Frane Lessac’s sparkling oil painting show friendly, childlike images evoking the naive mood of this tropical folktale.

The turtle is looking for a place to rest in the sun, so one by one he brings sand and rocks to a spot in the water so he can create an island. A man and woman whom have no connection to each other, both tell the turtle about how they would like to have chldren and have a family. After completing the island, the turtle brings both the man and woman to live there together and Papua New Guinea is created.

pp. 144 illust First Edition #0920